‘The Walking Dead’ Casting Two New Good Guys for Season 8

The Walking Dead’s Season 7 finale definitely moved Rick’s list of allies up and down a few notches, so he could use some help when “All Out War” arrives in Season 8. Thankfully, a new casting report hints at two more major characters joining the battle against Negan, potentially even as series regulars.

TVLine dropped off a new synopsis for two major characters The Walking Dead Season 8 will be casting (you know, assuming the May 2 Writers Strike doesn’t happen). Naturally, the names “Dillon” and “Abbud” are potential placeholders for comic characters, but both new additions seem to be on the side of the angels:

Ahead of Season 8’s Saviors/Scavengers-vs.-Alexandria/Hilltop/Kingdom war, AMC’s monster smash is casting two new recurring good guys: Dillon, a sexy, blue-collar twentysomething whose survival skills include sarcasm, and Abbud, an innately likable Muslim American whose nerves are, let’s say, jangled, because he’s flown solo for too long in zombieland. Of the pair, the former is likelier to survive the looming conflict — not only does Dillon sound like a less jerky Spencer, but the casting notice for the roles hints that the actor chosen might get picked up for subsequent seasons.

Elsewhere of The Walking Dead Season 8, we know Steven Ogg, Katelyn Nacon and Pollyanna McIntosh have been elevated to series regulars in their roles as Negan’s man Simon, Alexandria survivor Enid and garbage leader Jadis. Filming on the eighth season premiere (and 100th episode) is scheduled to start on May 1, but could grow complicated if a Writers Strike takes place on May 2.

We’ll see what else The Walking Dead Season 8 has in store (or doesn’t), but who might our new survivors represent?